Gender inequality and bias in Chinese universities: perceptions of male and female academics

Abstract

ABSTRACT Gender inequality and bias persists in academia worldwide despite remarkable progress in recent decades. This issue is underexplored in the context of Chinese academia. Drawing on 40 semi-structured interviews with male and female academics at a Chinese research university, this paper assesses the extent and manifestations of gender inequality, bias, and discrimination in the Chinese academic profession. The findings show that most of the male academics had gender-blind perspectives and believed that Chinese academia has an egalitarian structure that is fairer to women than other sectors of activity, and allows them to attain career success. Concurrently, some were suspicious of female academics’ success and explained it based on sexual innuendo. Nonetheless, a considerable number of male academics felt privileged compared to women, explaining this privilege in terms of social and biological factors. The female academics mostly perceived no overt discrimination in academia but described subtle discrimination and biases in which gender could shape opportunities and career advancement. Our findings highlight differences in the perceptions of male and female academics, the prevalence of male power in academia, and micropolitical practices that (re)produce gender inequality.